Family-Friendly Restaurants in Chicago

eATLAS has several food-based adventures in Chicago. Inspired by the hit TV show The Bear, our “Chaos Menu” Crawl recreates Sydney’s citywide search for inspiration to create the restaurant’s menu. The Taco Crawl visits four Lincoln Park taquerias, and the Brown Line Pizza Tour takes you to six pizzerias to show off the diversity of Chicago’s pizza scene. Also, check out our guide to family-friendly Chicago here.

By Dave Lifton (@daveeatschicago)

Fortunately, Chicago’s most famous food is loved by children. For deep-dish pizza, Lou Malnati’s earns the nod for quality, consistency, and number of locations. Gino’s East on the Magnificent Mile is a solid option, and wins kid-friendly points for allowing guests to write on its walls and a stand of The Original Rainbow Cone, where five flavors of ice cream are stacked on top of each other, on the ground floor.

Children’s eyes tend to light up when they learn that Chicagoans love hot dogs, and that we even have our own take on them. Colorful and delicious, the Chicago-style hot dog features seven condiments: yellow mustard, diced onions, neon green relish, dill pickle spear, tomato slices, sport peppers, and a dash of celery salt. However, if one or more ingredients cause your children to blanche, you can always ask for them to be removed. Beware, though. The local custom is to scoff at a request for ketchup, but it’s generally allowed for kids.  

The Portillo’s in River North is practically Mecca for hot dogs in Chicago, and its menu is big enough to accommodate all palates. Don’t forget the famous chocolate cake shake, where a slice of chocolate cake is blended into a milkshake. If you’re looking to try the hot dog after coming off of the Skydeck at Willis Tower, consider Luke’s. Both restaurants also have excellent Italian beef, the local specialty given a national profile on the hit TV show The Bear.

Or you can feel like you’re traveling back in time at Superdawg in Norwood Park on the Northwest Side, an old-fashioned drive-in dating back to 1948. Remember to say hi to Maurie and Flaurie—a pair of 12’-high hot dogs named after the founding couple—atop the roof.

Located in Streeterville, Ed Debevic’s is a Chicago institution. The retro-themed diner has been around since 1984, and the menu is loaded with kid-approved diner staples like burgers, meatloaf and chicken tenders, plus a big breakfast menu. But what makes it special is the staff, who perform in character and have a reputation for getting snarky with customers. They’ve also been known to stop everything and dance on the counters.  

If you’re looking for a meal before or after the Lincoln Park Zoo, head to R.J. Grunt’s, where the menu is similarly filled with American classics—without the 1950s vibe and the dancing servers—and is considered to be where the salad bar was invented.

A handful of restaurants have set aside times when kids can eat for free. On Southport Ave. in Lakeview, head to Mexican spot Tuco and Blondie (4:30 – 6 p.m.) or Midwest-inspired Crosby’s Kitchen (4 – 6 p.m.). Barbecue lovers can go to Smoke Daddy in Wrigleyville (11:30 a.m. – 6:30 p.m.) or Wicker Park (3 – 6 p.m.). Visit Secret Chicago for full details and more places.

Of course, sweets are a major part of every kid’s diet, and Chicago—the one-time “Candy Capital of the World”—has options galore. Once you have Garrett Popcorn, you’ll never want the packaged kind again. The irresistible Garrett Mix—a combination of cheese and caramel popcorns—is the most popular, but there are other flavors, including seasonal offerings, like pumpkin spice in the fall or mint chocolate in the weeks leading up to St. Patrick’s Day.

Some ice cream parlors aim for a vintage feel, but Margie’s Candies is the real thing. Opened in 1921, the cozy Bucktown spot has 30 flavors and 50 sundaes, plus handmade candies. Famously, the Beatles stopped in after their 1965 concert at Comiskey Park, and there’s a mini-shrine to them in a display case near the entrance.